A Study on Buddhist Approaches to Rehabilitating prisoners

The paper argues that current rehabilitation programs for prisoners in South Korea fail to address deep-seated psychological issues such as trauma, cognition, guilt, and emotional understanding. It contends that Buddhist practices, including compassion meditation, Vipassana, breath awareness, penance, and chanting, can heal underlying problems by helping inmates objectively examine their sins. The authors propose that modern reinterpretations of Buddhist practice, such as MBCT, MBSR, and MSC programs, offer effective methods for inmate reform and smoother social reintegration. The study identifies prisoner issues and introduces Buddhist methodologies for rehabilitation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper is a study that deals with the changes in emotional, cognitive, linguistic, and interpersonal relationships of prisoners currently incarcerated in South Korea. There is a limit to healing the prisoner's deep unconscious. Their trauma, cognition, guilt, personality, and emotional understanding require changes in various aspects, but these processes seem to have been omitted. The Buddhist practice method is a Buddhist suggestion for the smooth adjustment of prisoners into society. I think I can heal the underlying problem by looking at my sins objectively. Buddhist practice has been reinterpreted in modern times, and programs such as MBCT, MBSR, and MSC are now being applied in various ways. The foundation of these programs is compassion meditation and Vipassana practice. In particular, by recognizing the breath, meditation allows you to recognize bodily reactions, thoughts, emotions, cognition, etc., through the breath. Penance, Buddhist chanting or Buddhist songs are also Buddhist approaches to inmate reform. Because Buddhist practice is a ascetic religion that aims at knowledge and awareness, it is possible to heal the underlying problem by looking at one's sins objectively. In this article, we have identified the problem of prisoners in prisons in order to apply it to Buddhist practice. He also introduced Buddhist methodologies for inmate reform, such as penance and meditation programs. It is hoped that this study will improve the rehabilitation program for inmates and help them in their lives.